Skip to main content

O365: Using Word to Make a SharePoint Invoicing System

O365: Using Word to Make a SharePoint Invoicing System


Note: Requires MS Word Client based application.

See also - Blogs on Library, Lists, Linking and Integration

Practical Business Uses for Office 365


One way of looking at Office 365 is to imagine it as a massive toolbox. The businessman, like any good craftsman, identifying a need for the business turns to the tool box for a means to effect a solution.

The problem is that it is not always apparent which O365 tool to use to get the most effective result.

Word is Integrated in O365

All Office 365 plans have the Office suite of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. In some plans these are restricted to the browser versions of the applications, but others have additional downloadable client versions. You can also use stand alone compatible client versions of Office to link Office 365 and SharePoint.

The following requires a client version of Word.


A New Library with SharePoint Fields

Any new library created in SharePoint has a ready made Word template created. This automatically captures the library meta columns as document fields. You can also import additional templates to any library either through the Upload link or the New link on the library toolbar.

The templates can be edited to include the positioning of the SharePoint meta fields (columns) into the body of the documents.

  1. First create the library and name it Invoicing - 


  2.  Then edit the library template to place the SharePoint Fields

    From the Library Home Page click the gear wheel > Select Library Settings > Click Advanced Settings and in the Document Template area click edit template


  3. This should open in the client version of Word.


 Add Logos and text as required. In this example I've used a table to control the columns and the fields are the items in square brackets.
To insert a field. Place the cursor where the field should be > click Insert in the Word tool bar > select Quick Parts and Document Property, then select the field from the list.

Using the new Library


  1.  Once the template has been prepared return to the Invoices library and click New and select Document. This will open the new Invoice in the Browser version of Word. 

  2.  Change the name from Document1 to a name of your choice (I use the invoice number) and allow it to save. Close the Word document.

  3. Return to the Invoices library, select the new Invoice and click the i symbol to open the Meta data editor > select Edit All and populated the fields. Once done click save.

  4.  The invoice is now complete. When opened in the client version of Word it will appear - 


All of the detail of each invoice is retained in the SharePoint library and can be used for future reporting and analysis.

Being a Word template, you can add a watermark background image, apply any header, footer, logo or branding required and print either to paper or to PDF for electronic invoicing.

We can show you how, or we can do it for you.










Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Law and Order: The Anonymous Text Tip-Off

The following article came out of an interview conducted with Max Doleh - Law enforcement organisations and Crime Stopper programs are turning to technology which enables text tip-off from the public to facilitate a police response. In September 2007 Master Sergeant Charles Phillips of the Oklahoma City Police Department published an item on the Oklahoma City Crime Stoppers web site (http://www.okccrimetips.com/ ) calling for increased resources to bring this technology to OKC. In November 2007 it was announced that Crime Stoppers of Oklahoma City have engaged technology company ProductiveT to develop an SMS system that is radically different to others in use in the country. Max Doleh, ProductiveT president and CEO answers questions – 1 . What makes the Oklahoma City system so different? The ProductiveT technology differs greatly from other offerings. The police department have their own dedicated number for receiving the messages and unlike most systems there is no need for the sender

Team Management – The less stressful way.

It’s your dream team. Everything is in place, all they need is a little bit more tweaking and they’ll be perfect. Then it happens. Somebody hands in their notice and leaves. And it’s not just the loss of one individual. It’s the strain on the others as they try to make up the shortage. Recruitment takes time. Get by that and it’s followed by even more stress as the newbie takes up more resources in the training phase. Even when it’s all done, you know the adjustments will keep them below peak performance for several months. That’s the period when other team members begin complaining about the extra work load and start to look around at other jobs. Control is easy. You just use the good old disciplinary process. Fine tuning a team is harder with many more plates to juggle. People are just plain unpredictable, or are they? Recent research by Gallup Consulting reveals a pretty convincing case for active engagement of employees, claiming that engaged employees are – More profitable More cu

Electronic Document Storage and Management (EDMS)

EDMS is not just a means of storing computer files. A full EDMS system allows for the process of importing both paper and computer generated documents into a computer system and indexing the files for easy and swift retrieval. In effect you can dispose of your traditional paper filing system. No more gathering letters, invoices and orders into filing groups and no more slotting them into the correct folders. Of course, you only use a paper filing system because you know you may need that document again in the future. Equally, when you do want that document it's invariably missing, either misfiled, or on someone else's desk. With EDMS documents are where you placed them and they are available for you to use where ever you are. All you need is a computer, tablet or smart phone and an Internet connection.As most modern businesses already use the Internet for everyday interaction with banks, Inland Revenue, Companies House, insurance companies, suppliers and customers it no longer